Melbourne Formation

Geologic formation in Australia

Melbourne Formation

Stratigraphic range: Ludlow epoch
~423–419 Ma

PreꞒ

Type| Formation
Unit of| Murrindindi Supergroup
Underlies| Humevale Formation
Overlies| Yan Yean & Anderson Creek Formations
Lithology
Primary| Sandstone, siltstone
Other| Shale, mudstone
Location
Coordinates| 37°48′S 145°00′E﻿ / ﻿37.8°S 145.0°E﻿ / -37.8; 145.0
Approximate paleocoordinates| 2°06′S 174°54′E﻿ / ﻿2.1°S 174.9°E﻿ / -2.1; 174.9
Region| Victoria
Country| Australia
Extent| Lachlan Orogen
Type section
Named for| Melbourne
Named by| Schleiger
Year defined| 1974

Melbourne Formation (Australia)

Show map of Australia

Melbourne Formation (Victoria)

Show map of Victoria

The Melbourne Formation is a geologic formation in Victoria, Australia. It preserves fossils dating back to the Ludlow epoch of the Silurian period.[1][2]

## Description

[edit]

Paleogeography of the Early Silurian, 435 Ma

The Melbourne Formation, part of the Murrindindi Supergroup, is conformably overlain by the Humevale Formation and overlies the Yan Yean and Anderson Creek Formations. The formation comprises mainly thin-bedded siltstone and sandstones. Most beds show undisturbed Bouma sequences.[1]

## Fossil content

[edit]

The following fossils were reported from the formation:[2]

### Eurypterids

[edit]

* Pterygotus australis[3]

### Trilobites

[edit]

* Encrinurus simpliciculus[4]
* Trilobita indet.[4]

### Brachiopods

[edit]

* Aegiria thomasi[4]
* ?Leptostrophia sp.[4]
* cf. Phoenicitoechia sp.[4]

### Gastropods

[edit]

* Bellerophontidae indet.[4]

### Bivalves

[edit]

* Ctenodontella sp.[4]
* cf. Ctenodonta spp.[4]

### Scyphozoa

[edit]

* Conulariidae indet.[4]

### Corals

[edit]

* Cladopora spp.[4]
* cf. Alveolites sp.[4]

### Ophiuroidea

[edit]

* Mausoleaster sugarloafensis[5]
* Protaster sp.[5]

### Crinoids

[edit]

* Dendrocrinus saundersi[5]
* Kooptoonocrinus nutti[5]
* Dimerocrinitidae indet.[5]

## See also

[edit]

* Tumblagooda Sandstone, Silurian geologic formation in Western Australia
* Yea Flora Fossil Site, Silurian fossil site in Victoria

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Melbourne Formation at the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database
2. ^ a b Melbourne Formation at Fossilworks.org
3. ^ Plotnick, 1999
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Talent, 1965
5. ^ a b c d e Jell & Holloway, 1983

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Plotnick, R. E (1999), Habitat of Llandoverian-Lochkovian eurypterids, in A. J. Boucot, J. D. Lawson (eds.), Paleocommunities - a case study from the Silurian and Lower Devonian, pp. 106–136
* Jell, P. A.; Holloway, D. J. (1983), "Devonian and ?Late Silurian Palaeontology of the Winneke Reservoir Site, Christmas Hills, Victoria", Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, 95: 1–21
* Talent, J. A (1965), "The Silurian and Early Devonian Faunas of the Heathcote District, Victoria", Geological Survey of Victoria Memoir, 26: 1–55

## Further reading

[edit]

* Schleiger, N.W., 1974, Statistical methods for analysis and mapping of flysch-type sediments., Sedimentology, 21(2), p223-249